JOHN HARTSON scored his first Celtic hat-trick and virtually didn’t ever stop.

For Kasper Hogh, it’s been the other way around.

But 25 years on from the day Big Bad John got off the mark, he’s tipped the club’s current big-money striker to repay Martin O’Neill just as he did.

Hartson went ten games without a goal following his £6million move from Coventry City in 2001, before finally netting three times against Dundee United on October 20, 2001.

Now it’s Hogh on ten Hoops appearances without hitting the net since his treble away to Kilmarnock in August.

But legend Hartson, who ended up with 110 goals in 201 Hoops appearances, reckons O’Neill will back the Dane to come good.

Hartson said: “Hogh arrived with a big reputation, costing £11m, and started on fire.

“But he’s gone off the boil and I’m just hoping he soon finds his feet again and starts scoring goals on a regular basis.

“He’s definitely got something about him. I’d seen a few clips of him for Bodo/Glimt before he arrived and I liked what I saw.

“He then came to Scotland and it was a wonderful hat-trick he scored against Kilmarnock down at Rugby Park.

“I also watched him come off the bench against Wales for Denmark and he looked a real powerhouse.

“Since then things haven’t quite gone his way.

“Listen, I always hope the centre-forwards do well at Celtic. It’s not easy. 

“In my time, I generally didn’t go three or four games without a goal. But it took me a little bit of time to find my feet.

“I think I made ten appearances — mostly off the bench — before finally getting off the mark  with a hat-trick against Dundee United.

“It’s actually amazing to think that game is 25 years ago today. I can remember it like it was yesterday, too. Lubo Moravcik slid me in for the first and that was me on my way.

“After that, I played just about every week and ended up with 110 goals for the club.

“Hogh just needs to get his confidence back so he’s not snatching at things. 

“But he’ll get the support of the manager. Martin was patient with me and I like to think I repaid him with the amount of goals I scored.

“Hopefully things will turn out the same for Hogh.

“I know Camilo Duran has come into the team against Hearts on Sunday, but Martin will still feel Hogh has a big part to play in the team.”

One of Hartson’s biggest and baddest goals came against  Celta Vigo.

It was on the Euro run to the 2003 Uefa Cup final in Seville that he struck in Spain, against the opposition O’Neill’s team  face tomorrow night in what is a must-win clash for two sides that have lost both of their opening games so far.

Hartson said: “Martin always says that if it wasn’t for me Celtic wouldn’t have reached the Uefa Cup final in Seville. 

“And it’s because of that goal against Celta Vigo.

“It was definitely an important one. It didn’t win us the game on the night because we lost 2-1.

“But there was an away-goals rule in European games at that time, so my strike helped take us through to the next round.

“I think it had been 23 years since Celtic had stayed in Europe beyond Christmas too, which made it even more special.

“It’s funny thinking back, though, because I can remember almost everything about it, even though it’s so long ago.

“I was worried the referee was going to disallow it and award a foul against me.

“It was a long ball forward which was flicked on to me at the edge of the box by Chris Sutton.

“I stuck my backside into the defender and he went down,  trying to get a free-kick, because he knew I was too strong for him and had done him. I then stuck it away in the bottom corner.

“My first instinct was to run away and celebrate, but I remember looking at the referee a couple times, worried he was going to blow for a free-kick against me. All their players were complaining. 

“But thankfully the ref didn’t see anything wrong with it and the goal stood.

“I ran towards the Celtic fans, pointing my finger at a Welsh flag in the crowd.

“It was just a brilliant moment, the type of goal I liked to  score. I liked using my body to roll people.”

Hartson would now love nothing more than to see Celtic beat the Spanish side on Thursday night to kick-start their European campaign.

He added: “It’s a big game. Losing the first home game to Ferencvaros wasn’t great and we’ve been thumped by Benfica.

“Celta Vigo will be tough  opposition again. 

“If we’re being honest about it, Celtic maybe aren’t as good a side as they have been in the last two or three years. They’re certainly not as free-flowing as a team.

“They did exceptionally well to win their last seven games to win the league last season, but you don’t want to be putting the fans through that every year.

“But it’s definitely getting harder and harder in Europe.

“Back in my day, we had a strong squad to be able to cope with the top teams.

“Look right through our squad and it had internationals in  every position. 

“But at this moment in time Celtic just aren’t looked at as a brilliant European side.

“I do think they’re capable of winning domestically. But in the Europa League, the expectation isn’t very high.

“There will be a full house on Thursday night and there will  be a wonderful atmosphere, like there always is.

“I just think the general feeling is that they’re not as strong as they have been. 

“It’s turning out to be a really hard European campaign, but that’s not to say the team can’t produce a big performance.

“I hope they can get a result this week which gets it going for them in Europe this season.”